Hotels As the Ultimate Mixed-Use Spaces

The hotel industry is getting ready for its recovery after having been so much affected by the health crisis. In this context, it is key for them to find ways to generate additional income, to capitalize on the existing spaces and diversify their offers.

One obvious target group to attract is local people who live or work in the area. Our interactions with others have been so much altered during the last year by the various lockdowns, social distancing and other health & safety measures that most of us are looking forward to come out from this state of isolation and start connecting again. Hotels are ideal spaces for that. Therefore, this period of recovery might be an opportunity to look again at offering a variety of creative experiences that will both be attractive to domestic and international guests and to the local community. 

What are the ingredients to create a space that is welcoming, a place that guests want to remain in? How to maximize the existing spaces so that various types of users can use the facilities on a 24h basis?

Many principles applicable to public spaces are relevant here. The lobby already serves various needs: checking in/out, meet and greet, information hub, social hangout…It is the first space that guests experience when they arrive.  It is not only the heart of the hotel but in some case, it is a real social hub, a neighbourhood pillar where guests and locals spend time to socialize, to plug into WI-FI or to drink a cappuccino in the morning or a fancy cocktail at night. Often referred to as “the new public square” or “the living room”, many hotels are not only offering food and drinks but also activities and local engagement. This mix of multifunctional spaces, amenities and activities is key to generate extra sources of income.

To create this constant vibrancy, one ingredient is fundamental: a unique programme of events and activities, a curated programme that matches the aesthetic of the space as well as the branding of the hotel. A series of activities that blends into the city, that brings the flavour and the vibe of the local area into the hotel and that are creating connections with major events happening in the city. A timetable that looks at various users that could visit the hotel at different time of the day. Finally, a successful programme could also include stimulating collaborations with local creatives and engaging partnerships with cultural organizations and local businesses. 

So many art forms and activities’ styles can be integrated into a specific programme: live music, an art exhibition, a fashion show, various workshops, games, wellness classes, pop up performances, presentations, gastronomic “in room” experience, urban discoveries and thematic experiences such as art tours that can depart from or end in the lobby. Activities focusing on the architecture, design and art collection of the hotel can also be featured. Starting from the distinctive assets of the hotel and building a unique programme from the hotel premises into the local area.  

 Wishing all of you a successful reopening!